Fit: In the width of the binding, it fit my boots just fine. I probably would have pulled out the toe ramp to be more aligned with my boots but it was a demo day when I rode them.

First Impression: Cinches are fun to ride because you get two ways to strap in. Do I need two ways, probably not but I won’t be disappointed with two ways either.

Appearance: It’s a bit too girly for me, pink and white with flowers. Reminds me of a wedding cake and I’m not a fan of wedding cakes.

Comfort: Plush binding, a comfortable ankle strap that I hardly notice when riding. Padding in the heel and toe of the baseplate to absorb bumps when riding. Toe strap was decent.

Functionality: The point of the cinch is to be functional, easier to get in and out. I see the demand for cinch bindings, I think they finally have them dialed and are getting better with them being a lighter weight. The good thing for me is still having the straps just in case, when I was demoing them I had the highback tighter than I would have liked and no matter how hard I pulled on the cable to unlatch…it didn’t, so I had to use the straps to get out which was fine by me.

Flex: Stiffer highback with a softer lateral flex, I wasn’t sure about the combo with the believer and how the bindings would do. But it held up and wasn’t too underpowered for the board.

Response: Offered up a good response when riding, not overly responsive and not like a cadillac. A good binding for a mixture of riding, whether groomers or powder turns.

Toe Strap: The universal toe strap can be rocked as regular or toe cap. I rocked it as regular and it felt a little bulky so I switched it up to cap and it felt a lot better as cap during those runs. I like the toe strap on the virtue and agogo with the hole, I definitely felt this binding could have benefited from that toe strap.

Overall Impression: I wasn’t blown away, but I wasn’t disappointed. The binding did it’s job, of being easy in and comfortable. I see room for improvements but at the same time, the price totally makes it a good binding to progress with. I didn’t find it too much of a binding that would make it for a higher skill level but a very progressing binding.

Shay’s Honesty Box: I had an issue with the cinch when I was getting out of the bindings, once cranked in I was fine but definitely had to put more force into getting out. That’s something that you can dial in better and it was a demo, so less time to do that. It was the only time I’ve had to use the regular straps to get out of the binding, but I was glad they were there.

About the author

From the beginning of time, I was Shannon. From the beginning of snowboarding, I was Shay. From the beginning of online communities, I was Shayboarder. In the end, I’m the writer, photographer, editor, publisher, guru of sorts, product tester, curvy girl, and most importantly the snowboarder behind it all. Follow me on this journey through snowboarding, mountain biking, traveling and fun experiences!